I. Introduction

In democratically constituted countries with a democratic constitution state power is divided among different branches of government organs - the legislative, the executive and the judiciary - and each executes its duties and responsibilities as given in the constitution.

This division of power is important for it:

a) enables the other party not to operate outside its duties and responsibilities;
b) assists the three organs to counter check each other and have a legally balanced responsibilities;
c) serves as a major instrument and guarantee for safeguarding the constitutional rights of the people.

The constitution of the country depicts a federal democratic republic type of governance, which manifests itself through the division of the federal states into nine regions and sharing government power among the three government organs. /Art. 45, 46(1) and 50(2) of FDRE Constitution/

Accordingly, the Oromia Regional State is founded as a regional state with three government organs: namely the legislative, the executive and the judiciary by adopting its own Constitution in 1987.

Nevertheless, the Constitution was not clear enough, especially in terms of defining the duties and responsibilities vested on these government organs. In particular, there has been an overlapping of duties and responsibilities of the legislative and the executive.

The regional state, taking into consideration the problems that have been arising from the overlapping conditions and absence of a clear demarcation of duties and responsibilities on its extra-ordinary session that convened on October 27, 2001 (Tikmit 17/ 1994 EC) in Adama town, issued the Revised Constitution No 46/2001 and reconstituted the government by dividing the state power among the three government organs. And these government organs are made to function independently according to the duties and responsibilities vested on them by the revised regional constitution. Earlier there was no clear demarcation line between the legislative and the executive organs of the government; and the two bodies were collectively called by the name 'Caffee' which was given exclusively to the legislative organ of the Regional State.

But, after the extra-ordinary session the name 'Caffee' that used to serve as a name for the two government organs, i.e., the legislative & the executive came to serve only the legislative body, as the parliaments that have their own name, like the Russian Duma.
In the revised Constitution (Proclamation No 46/1994), which was endorsed and became into effect it is clearly stated in,

1. Article 46(1) that, “ Legislative power is vested in the supreme organ ‘Caffee Oromia’ who in turn is responsible to the electorate and also,

2. Article 46(2) that, “Executive power of the State is vested in the administrative council who in turn is responsible to ‘Caffee Oromia', and The Regional Administrative Council comprises the President, Vice President, Bureau heads and other members as determined by law /Article 54(1)/, Proclamation No. 49/94 Article 6(1)/ and that they are two different entities while most people from every walk of life wrongly continues on calling these organs by the same name, ‘Caffee’. Even, this name was also wrongly used for the councils that are established at the woreda and kebele levels.

II. 'Caffee' Seats and structure

1. 'Caffee' Seats
The 'Caffee' with its total seats of 537 is the highest authority in the government hierarchy of the Regional Government. Out of 537 members that are elected from 179 ballot stations in May, 2000, 467 (86.9%) are males and 70(13.1%) are females; of the total seats 535 (99.6%) are allocated to the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Party (OPDO) while the remaining 2 seats (0.4%) are allocated to All Amharas Party members. Currently, the numbers of vacant seats due to different reasons are 19.

2. 'Caffee' Structure

The 'Caffee' after being reorganized by the extra-ordinary assembly to have its own structural entity has commenced its operation by issuing the regions revised Constitution, elected its own Speakers and Deputy Speakers. And also, based on Proclamation No 55/1994 article 9(1) the assembly of the 4th session (March 31 - April 3/2002) established on April 3, 2002 its own standing committees:
• The Administrative & Legal Affairs Standing Committee,
• The Economic, Budget & Finance Affairs Standing Committee,
• The Peoples Organization & Social Affairs Standing Committee, from twelve zones and two special zones, each with 14 members elected from among the ‘Caffee’ members.

Duties and Responsibilities of standing committee

The three standing committees have their own duties and responsibilities and one of their duties and responsibilities is that was stated in proclamation No. 55/2002 article 10 (1) b which shows that the committees follow up the performance of the activities of government organs assigned to them.


The government organs referred to the committees are: -
1. The Administrative and the Legal Affairs Standing Committee follow up and examine the activities of the following government organs.
a) The Administrative Council of the Regional State,
b) The Supreme Office of The Administrative and Legal affairs,
c) The Judiciary of the Regional State,
d) Other government organs accountable to office specified under sub-articles (b) of this article.

2. The Economy, Budget and Finance Affairs Standing Committee follow up and examine the activities of the following government organs
a) The Rural and Agricultural Development Supreme Office,
b) The Industrial and Economic Development Supreme office,

C) The Finance and Economic Development Bureau,
d) The Water Development Bureau,
e) The Auditor General Office,
f) Other government organs accountable to article 4(a) and (b)

3. The People's Organization and Social Affairs Standing Committee follow up and examine the activities of the following government organs.
a) The Capacity Building Supreme Office
b) Information and Public Relations Supreme Office,
c) The People's Organization Supreme Office,
d) The Public Health Bureau,
e) HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Coordination office,
f) Other government organs accountable to the offices specified under sub-article (a), (b) and (c) of this Article.

III. Duties & Responsibilities of the 'Caffee'

Although the duties & responsibilities of the 'Caffee' are those set in detail by the Regions' Constitution article 49, the major one's are stated in The Proclamation to Define The Structure, Duties and Meeting Procedures of 'Caffee' Oromia No. 55/1994 EC, article 3 (a)-(q).

Principal Powers and Functions of The 'Caffee'

To implement the detailed powers and functions assigned to it pursuant to article 49 of The Constitution, The 'Caffee' shall:
a) Enact laws;
b) Follow up and examine the plan and implementation of the activities of office of The President, Administrative Council, other executive organs and The Judicial body of The Regional State; and give the necessary directives;
c) Appoint or approve appointment of heads of various organs as stipulated in The Constitution;
d) Establish its standing and ad hoc committees as it deems necessary to accomplish its work;
e) Give technical assistance to the District and Kebele Councils established pursuant to article 76 and 91 of the Constitution respectively;
f) Discharge other duties as it deems necessary to maintain the general will and interest of its electorate;

V. CONCLUDING REMARK

Some of the major duties anf functions of ‘Caffee’ Oromia have been explained in this article. We hope through this article the general readership may have come to know the legislative organ of the government, ‘Caffee’ Oromia and what its duties and functions are, the proclamations that were enacted. And in the near future we will include all the proclamations that were in our web page.